Here are the four characters:K - 1. An explorer (magical creature) has a day to go looking for the worst restaurant ever. Things are complicated by an offer.R - 2. A ninja loses a strange creature w/special powers (aka character 1). Circumstances are resolved by an investigation.Z - 3. A sick policeman is ostracized for sabotage (sickness due to poisoning during sabotage). Story is encumbered by an investigation.E - 4 . A ninja has a day to capture a spell-book. Story is worsened by a surprising revelation.

A loose plan of how these are projected to work together:Once, in an ancient kingdom, there was a magical book, full of wondrous creatures. Passed down through the generations, it finally ended up in the hands of a young child, who loved the creatures and let them free from the confines of the pages each day to play with them in secret. He confided in them, and his closes companion, Character 1, that although he was an awful cook, his dream was to open his own restaurant. Unfortunately, the overlords of the kingdom caught wind of this book and sought to have it for their own. They stole it from the child and kept it for their own devices (using the beasts as instruments of war and the like?).

Years passed, and a decade later things remained much the same. However, one creature, Character 1, had somehow escaped from the book, a cause of consternation for the overlords. Thus, the overlords summoned their servant ninjas to retrieve the creature. Character 2, who may have been thought responsible for losing Character 1, was tasked with leaving the ninja stronghold and retrieving the creature. Their fellow ninja comrade (best friend? rival? secret admirer?), Character 4, was sent to accompany them. However, the ninja leaders secretly took Character 4 aside and told them they were to steal the magical book from the overlords (who were visiting the ninja stronghold for 1 day to give the ninjas their assignment).

A member of the local law enforcement of the city nearest the ninja stronghold, Character 3 was framed (jealousy? happenstance?) for the troubling events and disasters which accompanied the escape of Character 1. Poisoned by his unknown foes, they look to find the antidote, which they discover is an herb only identifiable by its particularly terrible taste.

Thus it was that all the characters were drawn to their tasks and their tales became entwined:Character 1 escaped from the book and began the desperate search for their companion, the child who was an awful cook. Thus they sought the worst restaurant ever while trying to cope with the strange world they had rarely seen.

Character 2 sought to fulfill their duty as a ninja and retrieve the creature, all while battling doubts as to the intentions of the overlords.

Character 3 raced against time to find the antidote to their poison and track down the Character 1, perhaps the only witness who could clear his name.

Character 4 felt the burden of too many secrets, plagued by the knowledge the ninja leaders and the overlords were not who they seemed. They attempted to steal the magical book (succeeded? failed?), and afterwards they dutifully followed their fellow ninja, Character 2, on their task to find Character 1.

The overall tone will be determined by how we develop our characters, but I imagine it will generally be pretty fun and relaxed, but with serious themes.

General setting: medieval type weapons, fantasy world.

We can start writing soon, but first, character profiles! Here are some categories for guidance:Please upload your character profile to the google drive when you have it (even if it feels a bit incomplete). :)***The purpose of the description is to 1) get you to think a bit about your character and 2) to give some background for the other writers to use when they are writing your character into their posts (obviously the characters themselves may not know all this, but the authors do).***

Name:Age:Gender/Species/Race:Physical description: (hair, eyes, etc)Personality/Motivation: (as they say, what makes them get up in the morning?)Background: (origins, occupation, skills/talents, friends)

Kingdoms rise, powers fall. Their glorious ascent, bathed in scarlet blood and the promise of a thousand stars, becomes but a shadow at the End, when their paltry light goes out, and they fall in an explosion of red, black, and dismal gray.

Again, and again...again...

Thus it was, and so it was always to be, yet the light of the Heavens seemed to shine cursedly bright upon the Overlords. From their rise on the outskirts of the Niathan highlands, these rulers swept down upon the continent, subduing village, farm, and citadel with words of hope, words of peace; words of blood, words of death.

These Streets I trod, so heavy laden

By secrets dark and grim

Those cursed tyrants, those blessed saviors. Both were said with equal fervor, whispered in prayer or spite around many a hearth during the long winter months and idle bodies made for active thoughts. Yet when spring came, it brought the birth of the world and the death of revolution. Each went back to his own task, accepting his lot under the overarching authority and nary a problem was seen. Even the plague seemed stymied by the greatness of the Overlords; medics remained baffled for centuries to come at the sudden dormancy of that great pestilence, the inescapable scourge. The equalizer of men.

These Words, they burn across my mind

How long can they be hid?

And so, how does one live in the shadow of the gods, those ascended beyond the realm of men?

Some, they are the Rememberers. Holding on to memories of the ancient times, they live with outward acceptance and loyalty, yet all the while the smouldering embers of an unyielding pride burn inside them. They are conquered, but never broken.

These dark Shadows are my friends

Some, they are the Ageless. Days pass as seconds, a year is naught but a blink. Of what matter is the supremacy of a king, a man, an Overlord? Although rarely moved, their general apathy makes their wrath, their sorrow, that much worse to behold. Blessed are those who show them kindness, and a thousand times cursed is he who hurts their chosen friends.

Since dawn of ancient time

Some, they are Leaves. Tossed about by the winds of the world, they follow their chosen path, fulfilling their purpose and gently falling into the dust of history with the changing seasons. One of many, they are overlooked, counted only as a part, not a whole. Even so, the tree must never forget that without each little leaf, he is left to wither for eternity. Mighty is the leaf, if they are awoken to see it.

All Bonds they break, all truth they bend

Some, they are the Obliterated. Through malice or truth, they are maligned or exposed, tossed from mouth to mouth as a source of evil. Wronged by the world, these few do not suffer the same illusions of the others. They are hurt; they are alone; they are desperate, but this makes them powerful. Too often these single souls are not enough to change an empire, bring down mountaintops. But when they succeed, they rattle the stars.

This power, it is mine.

In the end, who can say: are these few enough to take on the Overlords? Indeed, it would seem that is not even their intent. What is the vague matter of the world when there is pride to be defended, death to be avenged, memories to be cherished, secrets to be hid? If it is fate, then they must. As ordained by the stars, they stand and fight a war no one would own. If not, then they may just be stubborn enough to do it anyways.

These Streets I trod, so heavy ladenBy secrets dark and grim.These Words, they burn across my mindHow long can they be hid?

These dark Shadows are my friendsSince dawn of ancient timeAll Bonds they break, all truth they bendThis power, it is mine.